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buying GTI - couple questions

Golfer883

Go Kart Newbie
Location
IL
Car(s)
19 GTI rabbit
I test drove a 2020 miata and 2020 gti yesterday just to get a feel between them. Miata is closer to the ground and ride is a bit more sporty, very fun to drive around especially in corners, felt very cool with the top down driving but I can't even fit my golf clubs in the trunk (opening is pretty small). The power delivery felt very balanced.

GTI felt more refined, can't feel the road as much, little higher up and has more storage/room. You can tell it has a little more torque/power than miata but there is a weird delivery to it in the lower gears on the 7spd dsg, many times it just doesn't give you the power you know is there. The Miata was more reliable on giving the speed in lower gears.

I test drove a 17 GTI sport last fall and that thing felt very fast vs. these newer GTI's I've driven. I honestly wonder if it was tuned but they told me it was a lease turned in and I didn't think could tune a lease vehicle.
 

vj123

Autocross Newbie
Location
The Detroit
Car(s)
19 & 16 GTI - sold
That's the conventional wisdom, and it is certainly valid. On a trade with another make, or if he doesn't put the lemon discount into a private sale, then yes. However, with proper maintenance records, a chunk of the warranty left, and a lemon discount, I don't think it will be that hard to sell. It's a known problem that was fixed. If the car has no other issues, it's a bargain again.

A large percentage of owners are not active in forums and dont have updates happening with every MY of this platform. Most average buyers would skip any used vehicle in the market with lemon title. If OP is planning to trade in the vehicle, any dealer would low ball him with that title and it doesnt matter if the issue is fixed or not. Thats why i said it might be hard to sell it later, that doesnt mean its impossible.

Also people are reporting stalling issue after taking the fix from VW, i dont think its completely fixed.
 

vj123

Autocross Newbie
Location
The Detroit
Car(s)
19 & 16 GTI - sold
I test drove a 17 GTI sport last fall and that thing felt very fast vs. these newer GTI's I've driven. I honestly wonder if it was tuned but they told me it was a lease turned in and I didn't think could tune a lease vehicle.

There are people who would mod their lease vehicles as well.

Also there are several reports where VAG dealers would have sold a tuned vehicle with TD1 flag as a certified preowned vehicle. When the second owners goes back to the dealership for warranty claims, they would tell them that there warranty is void as the previous owner had tuned the vehicle even though the second owner bought the vehicle with CPO warranty.
 

Golfer883

Go Kart Newbie
Location
IL
Car(s)
19 GTI rabbit
There are people who would mod their lease vehicles as well.

Also there are several reports where VAG dealers would have sold a tuned vehicle with TD1 flag as a certified preowned vehicle. When the second owners goes back to the dealership for warranty claims, they would tell them that there warranty is void as the previous owner had tuned the vehicle even though the second owner bought the vehicle with CPO warranty.

so I guess the only way to be sure prior to buying a gti if it had been tuned is taking to a VAG dealer and running a check? Would be pretty important on buying a 18/19 if you plan on using that warranty
 

Corprin

Autocross Champion
Location
Magrathea
Car(s)
A car
I test drove a 2020 miata and 2020 gti yesterday just to get a feel between them. Miata is closer to the ground and ride is a bit more sporty, very fun to drive around especially in corners, felt very cool with the top down driving but I can't even fit my golf clubs in the trunk (opening is pretty small). The power delivery felt very balanced.

GTI felt more refined, can't feel the road as much, little higher up and has more storage/room. You can tell it has a little more torque/power than miata but there is a weird delivery to it in the lower gears on the 7spd dsg, many times it just doesn't give you the power you know is there. The Miata was more reliable on giving the speed in lower gears.

I test drove a 17 GTI sport last fall and that thing felt very fast vs. these newer GTI's I've driven. I honestly wonder if it was tuned but they told me it was a lease turned in and I didn't think could tune a lease vehicle.
There are people who would mod their lease vehicles as well.

Also there are several reports where VAG dealers would have sold a tuned vehicle with TD1 flag as a certified preowned vehicle. When the second owners goes back to the dealership for warranty claims, they would tell them that there warranty is void as the previous owner had tuned the vehicle even though the second owner bought the vehicle with CPO warranty.

I agree. The 7spd DSG isn’t as fun as the 6spd DSG. Both tuning and the more frequent shifting giving it a feeling of “hunting”. Every 7-8spd I’ve driven in recent memory is like this.... just pick an effing gear already.

If you find a lease return 17sport DSG request the car be hooked up and checked for the TD1 flag/checked if a flash was done. Won’t be hard for them to identify. If it’s clear than I’d just go with that car over any 19 lemon return. You’ll get the residual warranty and an additional 1yr bumper to bumper iirc. I know toyota will sell an additional bump on the bumper to bumper warranty for CPOs... does VW offer this.
 

vj123

Autocross Newbie
Location
The Detroit
Car(s)
19 & 16 GTI - sold
so I guess the only way to be sure prior to buying a gti if it had been tuned is taking to a VAG dealer and running a check? Would be pretty important on buying a 18/19 if you plan on using that warranty

Unless otherwise the previous owner confirms that he has not tuned his vehicle, its recommended to get confirmation from a dealer for TD1 status of that particular vehicle at least by providing the VIN.
 

vj123

Autocross Newbie
Location
The Detroit
Car(s)
19 & 16 GTI - sold
Yes, 6 speed tuning was a little aggressive in my MK7 and 7 speed is a bit conservative. I use manual mode most of the time, so it does not bother me.
 

Corprin

Autocross Champion
Location
Magrathea
Car(s)
A car
I'm kinda leaning towards the 18' SE with plaid now. Has the 6spd dsg that seems to be tuned better vs the newer 7spd dsg. If you got it tuned, wouldn't matter between 6 or newer 7spd dgs.

Yep. 18’s were last year of the 6 DSG, sans the ‘19 Alltrack.

comparing 17 sport and 18 SE plaid, the only real difference will then be the sunroof and warranty.
 

bentin

Autocross Champion
Location
Austin, TX
Car(s)
23 Golf R - 3 Pedals
Yep. 18’s were last year of the 6 DSG, sans the ‘19 Alltrack.

comparing 17 sport and 18 SE plaid, the only real difference will then be the sunroof and warranty.
17 and 19 SE's don't have cloth as an option. So you'd be comparing a 17 Sport or a 19 S to an 18 SE, which means there are many differences other than the sunroof, as have largely been spelled out above. Of course, dynamically, you're correct, absolutely the same car (although I suppose the 7hp on the 19 makes it a little different.)
 

shovelhd

Autocross Champion
Location
Western MA
Unless otherwise the previous owner confirms that he has not tuned his vehicle, its recommended to get confirmation from a dealer for TD1 status of that particular vehicle at least by providing the VIN.

How does a prospective buyer do that, without knowing someone at a dealership? As far as I know the request from the mothership on TD1 status only happens as part of a warrant claim. Do you know anyone who has done this, and what did they charge to do it?
 

vj123

Autocross Newbie
Location
The Detroit
Car(s)
19 & 16 GTI - sold
How does a prospective buyer do that, without knowing someone at a dealership? As far as I know the request from the mothership on TD1 status only happens as part of a warrant claim. Do you know anyone who has done this, and what did they charge to do it?

TD1 flag inspection is a part of CPO checklist.

If a dealer can do that while qualifying any vehicle as a CPO, i am sure they would be happy to do that for a prospective buyer (maybe for a fee). I have not bought a used VW / Audi, so i cannot comment about the exact process.
 
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